Vulcanizing apparatus



Jan. 10, 1928. 1,655,919

M. PADE VULGANIZING APPARATUS Filed April 24, 1920 s Sheets-Sheet 1 @QOQQQQQQOQQQS amven foz Patented den 10, i928,

STATES P AT T Fi l E nan'n. rann, or anaon, on'ro, assrenca TO 'rnn r'rnns'ronn man man Jannnna eonrnnmor nnnon', onto, a ooaronarron or onto.

'WULGANlhIN'Gt arranarua.

Application tiled April at, 1W0. I herial ll'o. Zl'ltttllh.

lhis invention relates to apparatus for use in the vulcanization of rubber articles, particularly automobile tires, and is designed to facilitate the production of tires, so that a large number may be cured with minimum equipment and floor space.

The apparatus constituting the subject matter of this invention is intended to provide a continuous stream of tire molds into and out of the several vulcanizers so that as near to a continuous process can be obtained as is possible under the circumstances. ll am aware that prior to my 1nvention there has been in use apparatus for transferring molds to and from the vulcanicing presses and opening and closing them while in motion, but such apparatus has occupied considerable floor space and has not realized fully the benefit of the conveying apparatus. By my invention'it is possible to supply a larger number of vulcanizers than is possible with other systems in use Greater economy at door space is obtained and the efficiency out the machinery is increased. 1

in the drawings:

v Fig. l is a plan ot a complete system.

. 2 is an end elevation.

Figs. 3 and t are side elevations, the latter figure being a continuation of the termer. I

The apparatus is designed as a conveyor mechanisrn' tor supplying molds to a plurality out" vulcanizers and removing the vulcanizing molds having the cured tires'therein. The

all

molds are then opened on the conveyor, the cured tires removed and green or uncured tires placed in the molds, which are closed and moved to a vulcanizer which is being filled. 1

ln the drawings the lay-out of the apparatus is shown in Fig. 1 in which 1 represents the conveyor, while 2 represents the vulcanizers or presses. The presses are of any type, the prerlerred term being oi the type lniown as vertical presses, and arranged in a row'as close together as it is possible to place them, any suitable number being so placed. llt has been found that as many as twenty two vulcanrzers can be arranged in the row without mterference and obtaining the maximum efliciency 1n the apparatus lln conveyors systems of this general type may closely enclose the row of in use hereto-lore, it has been customary to provide a portion of the conveyor system remote from the vulcanizers on which the opening and emptying and refilling or" the mold is carried on, while at the vulcaniaers the filling of the vulcanizers has been done from one side and, the emptying from the other. I have found that such an arrangement is not essential and that the conveyor vulcanizers, the apparatus for opening and closin the mold being on one side at the row o'l 'vuh.

canizers while the molds are loaded and unloaded from the vulcaniaers at the other side of the row of presses.

Each vulcanizer 2 is provided. with the usual lid or top 3, designed to be raised and lib ill

lowered by any suitable mechanism, not

shown. 'lhe molds are carried around on the conveyor and guided by side rails 4-, the rails being continuous, except on one side of the conveyor adjacent the row oi presses, at which point it 1s interrupted sulfliciently to permit" the molds to be slid transversely off the conveyor into the several vulcaniaers.

The molds are indicated by the numerals -5, the bottom halt being shown at d and the top halt at 7. The core and tire are indicated by the numeralll.

The main conveyor is supported by a framework 9 and above the mold emptying and filling side of the conveyor is arranged a framework 10 which supports the mold lid lifting apparatus. The lid lilting device comprises a chain ll, moving at the same speed as the conveyor, supported on rails 12 from which are suspended, at inter vals corresponding to the spacing oi the molds on the lower conveyor, a number or hangers 18 'lrom which depend chains l4: designed to engage the mold top.

As shown in Figs. 3 and t the lid conveyor 11 comprises a horizontal portion 15 which parallels the main conveyor at a distance sutiicient to enable the chains it to be fastened to the mold top. [it it the conveyor is led upwardly at an incline in order that the top,-which is secured to the chains, may be lifted to allow the cured tire to be removed trom the mold. At 17 the conveyor runs on a parallel stretch abovethe main conveyor for a distance suficient to enable the mold to be cleaned and a new uncured tire to be placed in the mold. For cleaning the lid of the mold it is tilted in the'position tlb shown in Fig. 4: and during its travel in elevation it passes above a shield or cage 18 which insures against accidental dropping of the mold lid. Beyond, the track is inclined downwardly, as at 19, which lowers the lid on the mold. When the lid has registered with the lower half of the mold, th

chains 14 are released and the continue movement of the conveyor lifts them up and' brings them back to the starting point traveling over a return section of the conveyor 20. As shown in Fig. 2, the lid lifting mechanism is located on one side of the row of vulcanizers, leaving the opposite side free for the operation of loading and unloading the vulcanizers. In the operation of theapparatus the number of vulcanizers and their capacity is so related to the time of Valcanization that one vulcanizer is being filled and one being emptied at all times. The molds to fill each vulcanizer, loaded with uncured tires, are shoved transversely into the vulcanizer which is being filled, while molds containing cured tires are moved from the vulcanizer onto the conveyor.

It is obvious that various methods may be devised for carrying out the principles of this invention which may vary in/detail and proportions from the showing of this a plication,*but it will be understood that t e claims are intended to be broad enough to cover modifications and alterations falling within the scope of the invention.- It is considcred by me to be anew and distinct advance in the art to construct a tire mold conveying apparatus in combination with a row of vulcanizers in such manner that all, of the loading and unloading of the vulcanizers is done on one side of the row while the mold emptying and refilling is done on the other. By this improved apparatus the greatest number of molds may be handled at one time and the maximum production is obtained, also the fioor space is reduced and the number of operators required is much less than in prior devices, of this type.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for vulcanizing tires, the combination of a plurality of vulcanizers arranged in a row, conveyor mechanism sur rounding the vulcanizers, means at one side of said row of vulcanizers for raising and lowering the mold lids while moving on said conveyor, said molds being loaded and un- .loaded into the vulcanizers from the conveyor on the opposite side from the lid raising apparatus.

2. In an apparatus for vulcanizing, the combination of a plurality of open top vulcanizing presses, said presses being arranged in a row, a conveyor surrounding said row of resses. a plurality of molds carried on sai conveyor and adapted to be loaded into and removed from the presses at one side of the row, and mold lifting apparatus on the opposite side of said conveyor.

MAX H. PADE. 

